Under Fire
by murphycat
Summary: The landing party is stranded on a world in rebellion.  Nothing goes according to plan, but does it ever?  Spock, McCoy,Chapel, original characters
1. Chapter 1

"Under Fire"

Phaser fire lit up the dark sky above them like a 4th of July celebration of old. Debris, large and small, rained dangerously down around them from buildings hit by large blasts. Amazingly none of the landing party had more than scrapes and bruises- yet.

Commander Spock and his landing party were pinned down inside the planet's capital city of Rindour. The team had beamed down from _Enterprise _to ease tensions prior to the arrival of the _Clara Barton,_ a medical ship due within five standard days to assist local medical personnel with lowering infant mortality rates due to an unknown maternal viral epidemic. Since the Riindi so closely resembled humans in appearance and physiology, Federation doctors and scientists felt they stood a better than good chance at helping solve the current crisis.

The 'tensions', and their current predicament, however, were caused by a violent faction of the planet's population who felt that the rising infant death rate was divine punishment for leaving behind the ways of the Ancient Ones and only divine intervention was going to evoke change. To try to interfere with the plan of the gods was sacrilegious; and they were willing to kill anyone who disagreed. The irony that the T'maatu, as they called themselves, were also interfering in the gods' plan for others was apparently lost on them.

After arriving in the capital city, Spock, Dr.'s McCoy and Chapel, and their security detail, which included Lt.'s O'Connelly and Redstone, met with the Riindi planetary leaders and were in the process of being escorted to the city's premier medical lab when the terrorist assault on the city began, trapping them outside in the open during the barrage.

"Dammit, Spock, get us the hell out of here!" yelled McCoy, trying to be heard over the din. He was crouched down between Spock and Chapel behind a low wall surrounding what had been a lush and peaceful courtyard.

"Something is preventing our contacting the ship, Doctor. I suggest we find adequate protection until we are able to do so," Spock briskly responded.

"Over here, Sir," Lt. Spike O'Connell y called as she came around the corner of a nearby building. "There's a tunnel connecting two streets about forty meters beyond this structure that will provide us with some cover."

"Amen! Let's get the hell outta here!" McCoy yelled, his eyes wide as the detonations seem to grow louder and closer.

"Follow closely and keep your heads down," Spock commanded. "Lt. Redstone, cover our retreat."

Rapidly, Lt. O'Connelly turned and headed back in the direction from which she had come, followed by Spock, Chapel, McCoy, and then Redstone. They rounded the building and hurried down a flight of steps into a pedestrian tunnel just as a huge explosion went off nearby. Training kicking in, the Starfleet personnel dropped down and covered their heads with their arms to ward off any flying rubble. A full minute or so later, the shaking subsided and dust swirled around both entrances to the tunnel. Both sides were still miraculously clear.

Dr. Christine Chapel couldn't hear anything yet, but she could certainly see Leonard McCoy's mouth moving. He was pissed that they were still here although Spock was doing his utmost to contact the ship. She rose and saw that the security guards had taken up posts at each end of the tunnel. Christine could see that Spock was fiddling with his tricorder and looking, for Spock, pretty irked.

Finally, her hearing started to return, and she turned to McCoy. "Len, I don't think you're helping here." Frustration with her friend and mentor was affecting her tone more than a little.

"What the _hell _is going on? Why does this always happen every time I go on an away mission with Spock? Huh? Why?" McCoy asked, rolling his eyes. "You know, you'd think I'd have enough seniority to turn these missions down, but, no, here I am again."

"Jeez! Enough already! "Christine was ready to throttle him herself. "Damn. Don't you ever read the mission briefs?" It was her turn to roll her eyes; McCoy was notorious for his ability to avoid mission briefings, debriefings, staff meetings….the list went on.

Sensing that he had made his point, McCoy wisely shut up. Glancing away from Christine, he noticed the Vulcan approaching.

Spock took in the appearance of his shipmates before speaking. Christine was dusty but otherwise relatively calm; McCoy was—well-McCoy.

"There seems to be some sort of planetary shield in place. I would speculate that the rebel faction has somehow gained control of the planet's defensive grid in order to prevent any outside interference from the Federation." He paused, looking at them, and continued, "It would not be in our best interest to be caught by the rebels. Our capture would no doubt provide them with useful bargaining tools. Heading out of the city proper would give us the best opportunity for safety until beam out by _Enterprise_. According to my tricorder, it is 2.45 standard hours until sunset. If we can hold out here long enough, we may be able to use the cover of darkness to make our way to the surrounding countryside."

"Sounds like a plan to me," McCoy said. "The faster we can get out of here the better, I say."

Christine Chapel spoke up, "Spock, is there a limit to this defense shield? Does it have any weaknesses we may be able to take advantage of to get off planet?"

"None of which I am aware. Our ship's scans detected nothing of note, but I will require further time to study it."

McCoy twisted his mouth and raised a brow, "Really? Well, I hope we don't have enough time for you to study it—here—I want to get off this little piece of paradise—ASAP!"

"Really, Doctor McCoy, I would never have known how opposed you were to our being under duress. You have been so reserved about our situation thus far."

Christine didn't try to hide her smile. Len deserved a little Vulcan sarcasm. He deserved a smack if he didn't lighten up. God, she loved him, but he got worse every year.

Spock continued, "I need to check with the security team. I will return shortly. It will be safer here in the center of the tunnel." He headed for Lt. Redstone.

Christine turned to McCoy. "Why do you give him such a hard time?"

McCoy slid to the floor and extended his legs out in front of him. "Well, sit down, girl. I'm an old man, can't stay on my feet forever, ya know."

Christine sat down beside him, pulling her legs up and resting her arms on them. "Answer me, Len," she said tiredly.

"Ah, Chris, it's not just Spock. I give everybody hell these days; it's part of the joy of being old" he answered.

"Yeah, but you're still trying to get a rise out of him after all these years. Don't you think he's got enough to keep him occupied?" She closed her eyes, letting her head rest on the wall behind her as well. Dust from the wall lightly fell over her hair like talcum sprinkles.

McCoy didn't answer for a few minutes, and she thought he had decided to ignore her, until he finally spoke. Softly he said, "I suppose it's just a habit. It takes my mind off being scared out of my wits, I guess." He turned to her and gave her that lazy McCoy grin. "Still protecting him, Chris? _After all_ _these years_?"

Christine didn't rise to the bait. She was mostly beyond McCoy's teasing her about Spock. She'd endured it for too long. "No, I guess, I'm just scared, too. Makes _me _feel better to attack you." She smiled back at him.

"Touché, ma' girl. Touché."

Approximately two and a half hours later, the landing party was able to make its way through the destruction. The once beautiful city had suffered terrific damage. There was very little movement, but in the distance, small arms fire could still be heard. Spike O'Connelly and Spock had point with Redstone again bringing up the rear.

For now, McCoy was quiet; they couldn't afford to draw any attention. Although they were armed, chances were they would be sorely outnumbered. Stealth was truly their best option.

Moving down one of the city's dark and deserted streets, Spock directed them into a small shop. "Rest here. It is unoccupied. Lt. O'Connelly, come with me. Lt. Redstone, stay with the doctors."

"Where are you going?" McCoy asked. None of his former acerbic tone was present.

Spock said, "I want to check some of these buildings and see if there is anything we may be able to utilize."

"I think that's called 'looting', Spock." McCoy said.

He could feel ,but not see, the withering look the Vulcan gave him in response.

Almost an hour later, Spock and Spike returned with an armload of what looked like blankets and several packs. McCoy had dozed off, but Christine and Redstone had rummaged around the building where they were taking cover looking for supplies as well.

"We need to move." Spock handed Christine what looked like a robe of some sort. "Put this on and cover your head. It should provide us with some disguise since this is what many of the locals wear. We also found some foodstuffs, but we need to go now. My tricorder picked up a group of five individuals moving this way."

By this time, McCoy was up and also throwing on one of the robes. "Are there many casualties?" he asked.

Spock said, "Unfortunately, yes, doctor, but most of the city's populace seems to have either fled or retreated inside whatever shelter they could find."

"Do you think it might be wiser to stay here than be on the streets?" McCoy asked again.

"I do not think so, Doctor McCoy. Lt. O'Connelly and I observed extremely primitive and violent behavior from the ones who did encounter other inhabitants."

McCoy said nothing else, but turned and looked at Christine, whose eyes he could not read in the darkness.

Spock stepped outside first and scanned the streets in all directions with his tricorder before motioning them outside. Taking Christine by the arm, he assisted her over the broken door and glass. Spike moved to the front, then McCoy, Redstone was next. Spock and Christine followed in the rear.

It was sinister dark in the city. There was no light from either of the planets two moons and only a few stars were visible. The streetlights were nonfunctioning. It reminded Christine of an old Western ghost town. All they needed was a whistling wind and some tumbleweeds. She suddenly shuddered involuntarily. Spock noticed.

He stepped closer and spoke softly, "Are you all right, Doctor?" Spock asked. Since their last away mission, the two of them had started to socialize more and even paired up to play doubles in the ship's tennis tourney. It wasn't exactly a romance, but they had formed a friendship. With McCoy along, he didn't dare allow any bit of special concern for her to show through. McCoy would be on him (as the good doctor himself liked to say) like 'white on rice.'

Christine reached out in the darkness and touched his arm lightly. "Just spooked. Probably some primal fear about being in the dark." She tried to make her tone light, but it was highly unnerving to move through so much threatening gloom. It was difficult to maneuver around the minefields of broken ground vehicles and other debris, and they didn't dare use any illumination. Also, there was the danger that one of them could make unnecessary noise or be injured.

"How much farther until we get out of the city?" she whispered.

"Approximately three kilometers. I am hoping there will be some type of shelter for us outside the more urban environs where we can orient ourselves."

"Hope?" There was an undercurrent of warmth in her voice.

"Yes. I would prefer that you did not tell McCoy." His tone was lighter as well.

"Get me out of this interminable ink well and you've got a deal, Commander."


	2. Chapter 2

Under Fire 2

The landing party had been on the move for more than four hours, with the last two in the rain, before Lt. O'Connelly, who had been sent ahead to reconnoiter, reported a barn like structure about half a kilo off the road they were currently traveling.

After scanning the surrounding area and structure for life signs, Commander Spock led the tired group into the dark but dry building. Grateful for any place to rest for a while, Christine and McCoy took off their soaking robes. Christine hung them up on a beam toward the back of the lower room to dry.

Christine stretched out beside McCoy on the dry ground. "You okay, Len?" He was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Just resting, girl. Just resting." He answered without removing his arm from across his eyes. "I could sleep for a week."

"Tell me about it. Isn't it ironic how these "mercy missions" always turn out to be the biggest pains in the ass," Christine responded, closing her eyes against the light that Spock had turned used to illuminate their new dwelling.

McCoy laughed aloud. "Yeah, I wish they'd have mercy on us, and not send us on any more."

They were still laughing when Christine heard Spock clear his throat. Opening one eye each, the two doctors peered up at him.

"I was going to suggest that the two of you get some rest." Spock sat down a few feet from Christine; he had removed his wet cape as well.

"Where's our security, Commander?" McCoy queried, looking around for Redstone and Spike.

"They are checking outside for any sources of food and water, and then will alternate taking watch." Spock answered.

"Good," McCoy quipped back. "Better them than me. " Those were the last words, McCoy uttered; he was sound asleep within minutes.

Christine rose and went to get two of the dry blankets they had toted along underneath their robes. She spread one out over McCoy, who was by now, snoring gently. The other one, she used to wrap around herself and then lay back down. She turned over on her side to watch Spock calibrating his tricorder. Her eyelids were so heavy and her legs ached from her unaccustomed marathon walk.

"What's wrong with it?" She asked, yawning widely.

Spock kept working. "Nothing. I am attempting to widen the scope and attune it to warn us of anyone who may be approaching." He stopped and took in her tired appearance. "Get some rest, Christine. "

She started to speak, but before she could respond, he gently cut her off, "I will rest as soon as the security team reports back."

She grinned sleepily. "Mr. Smarty-pants, I was going to say I know you can go longer without sleep, but to at least try. I stand unjustly accused."

Spock raised one eyebrow, "And I stand corrected. Now, Doctor, sleep thyself."

Christine didn't have to be twice told. She too was out in very short order.

Sleeping on the ground—definitely not one of her favorite things, Christine thought, feeling every ache before she opened her eyes. Daylight filtered through the cracks in the building telling her it was morning. Looking to her right, McCoy was still sacked out, snoring like an Arkansas razorback.

"It's a good thing you're not married," she mumbled under her breath as she sat up and took stock of her surroundings. Apparently she and McCoy were the only ones inside. Climbing to her feet, Christine moved to the large single wooden door and pushed it open. God! The sun was bright. Giving her eyes a minute to adjust, she looked around.

'Beautiful' was the word that came to her mind. Huge oak-like trees, green grasses, and there was a stream not too far away; she could hear its gurgling. A flicker of red caught her eye and she spotted Spike O'Connelly sitting on a log about 25 meters away, staring out into the forest. Sensing something behind her, Spike turned and smiled at the doctor. Christine pushed the door closed and headed toward the lieutenant.

"Morning, Doc. How'd you sleep?" Spike looked as comfortable here as she always looked everywhere else. Christine had long ago decided that Spike was like a cat. She could sit on a bed of nails and make it look cozy.

"Ah, you remember my fondness for camping? Opinion hasn't changed." Christine sat down beside her. "Where are Spock and Lt. Redstone?"

"Scouting." As if the one word explained it all.

"Scouting?" Christine echoed.

"Yep. 'Stone and I didn't find a scrap to eat last night, so the two of them headed out for breakfast. Personally, I'm hoping for bacon and eggs. You?"

"French toast. Butter piled high. Covered with maple syrup. Big, icy cold glass of milk."

Spike looked at her sideways, "Damn, Doc. Now you're just bein' mean."

Christine gave her an evil grin. "A woman's got to dream. And you did ask."

Movement in the forest caught their attention simultaneously. Spock and the security officer were headed back from their "scouting" trip. From the look on Redstone's face, they hadn't been too successful.

"Okay, Commander Spock," Christine asked when they got closer, "what's for breakfast?"

In response, Spock opened his hands. Inside were little white, roly poly worms which resembled Earth leeches.

Christine and Spike didn't speak, to their credit. Merely exchanged you've-got-to-be-kidding-me glances before Christine said, "Not that hungry yet."

"You very well may be at some point Doctor Chapel. These are the best we could do without getting too close to being seen." Spock walked over the barn and dropped the roly-poly's into a dinged and abandoned container that had been left on the ground. Carefully, he set it alongside the building. He stood and turned to find Christine standing behind him with an unmistakable look of disgust on her face.

"Yes?" he asked, already knowing what the problem was.

"I don't need to tell you what Len's reaction is going to be to the bug breakfast buffet that you have there do I?"

"Christine, I, too, find the thought of eating insects rather….unpalatable, but if we are hungry enough, we may be grateful for them." He said it, she thought, but I bet he doesn't believe it either.

"I'll take your word for it. What did you see? Any more rioting? Obviously, no luck with contacting the ship."

He walked over to a grassy patch in the shade to sit with Christine trailing after him. "There seems to be relative calm outside of the city. And, no, no contact with _Enterprise_ yet, and I find that puzzling. It would seem that the ship hasn't found a way to penetrate the shield's weaknesses either." Spock paused. "Where is Dr. McCoy?"

"He was still sleeping a few minutes ago. He's not a youngster anymore, as he's fond of saying, and that walk last night really wore him out. Do you want me to wake him?" she asked.

"No, allow him to sleep a while longer. I am not eager to hear his opinions on the food selection," Spock said with a slight trace of humor.

"Too bad we don't have any bourbon to ease the transition," Christine said. "That might help things along." Suddenly the door to the barn flew open and Leonard McCoy, ACMO of the Starship _Enterprise_ stood there in all his glory.

"Good morning ladies and gents—and Spock—haven't slept like that in ages." To accentuate his point, he stretched his arms and neck and gave a huge grin.

Spock and Christine looked at one another in surprise.

McCoy made his way over to where they sat on the ground. "What's for breakfast?"


	3. Chapter 3

** In the last chapter, I accidentally labeled McCoy as the 'ACMO' of Enterprise. Sorry about that. That's Chapel's title. My bad.

Under Fire 3

Dr. McCoy sat away from the group, under one of the trees which surrounded their small temporary campsite, brooding. He had awakened in such a good mood, especially under the circumstances, and then to be confronted with bugs for breakfast. Damn, Spock, he thought to himself. McCoy never believed that the Vulcan himself had planned to eat those slugs. No, he had brought them back to just torment me, the doctor thought.

Christine Chapel noticed McCoy and made her way over toward him. He had been livid when Spock had offered him the insects for breakfast, really over the top. She had worked with him for many years and she knew McCoy. As testy as he could be sometimes, she'd never seen him so cross about something that was not that big a deal at this point. He'd certainly been in far worse situations, so Christine wondered if there was something else bothering him.

"Hi," she said, "Can I sit?"

McCoy shrugged. "Suit yourself." He was mutilating a small piece of wood and didn't look up at her.

She did. "How about telling me what's going on with you?"

"What being on another mission where we're cut off from the ship-again-isn't enough for you? You know, Chris, I have been in dozens, hell, hundreds, of landing parties, and I guess I've just reached my limit. I mean how many 'nine lives' can one man have?" He looked as morose as she'd ever seen him. "When does my luck run out and I'm the one who's DOA?" McCoy angrily threw the stick from which he'd been peeling the bark back into the woods.

Christine didn't look at him or challenge his assertions. She quietly waited, knowing he couldn't stand the silence for long.

She wasn't disappointed.

"Well, dammit, woman, you're supposed to make me feel better. So—say something, cheer me up!"

She laughed. "Okay….the ratio of bad outcomes to good outcomes on missions as you know is in your favor. You've got the 'luck of the Irish,' as you so often remind me. And Spock's here. If there's a way to solve an unsolvable problem, he'll find it. Will that work?"

McCoy gave her a crooked grin, muttering, "Well, it's a start. I guess I have been feeling a little down. I received a message from Joanna; you know her baby is due any day now, and I was hoping I would be there this time. I missed the first grandbaby's birth, and I was hoping to make it up to her this time." He rubbed his forehead and trailed his hand up threw his hair. "Guess I was wrong, huh?"

Christine patted him on the knee. "Len, don't give up yet. Things sometimes happen for a reason."

Rising to her feet, she left him to ponder his situation.

************************************************************************************X

Commander Spock and Lt. O'Connelly waited until nightfall to broaden their search for sustenance. It had been over a day since the landing party had eaten; McCoy had asserted if someone didn't go to look for _real_ food, he was "sure as hell going to," so finally Spock had decided they would risk it instead of having to either stun or bind the doctor.

The Vulcan still hadn't been able to contact the ship, but on the positive side of the situation, the violence that had been so prevalent in the city, appeared to be absent from the rural area in which they were, so each of them had taken a side of the small community and were to rendezvous in sixty minutes.

Spike returned to their prearranged coordinates eager to report.

"I found an orchard of some type. Look at these." She enthusiastically held out the blanket she had taken with her. It was full of fruit. "I scanned them; they're edible. And taste good, too." The security officer gave him a delighted grin. "Here." Spike held out an offering.

"I will wait until we rejoin the others, Lt. O'Connelly. Good work." Spock hadn't been as fortunate, but he had 'borrowed' some clothing to help them blend in with the natives.

"Good idea, Sir." Quickly, they turned to head back to the rest of the landing party.

Suddenly Spock's tricorder emitted a low sound. He dropped to the ground; the security officer did the same.

"What is it, Commander?"

"The proximity warning. There is something in the forest behind us." Adjusting his instrument, Spock again scanned the area, finding no sign of anything or anyone.

Spike whispered, "Probably an animal, Sir. If it's gone that quickly."

The Vulcan scanned the area all around them. Nothing. "Perhaps, lieutenant."

********************************************************************************X

Most of the group was gathered outside the 'barn,' with the exception of Lt. Redstone who was on guard duty.

Dr. McCoy was finally in a civilized mood; the fruit, with which the conquering heroes had returned, had definitely put him in a better frame of mind.

"Spike," McCoy said to her, "You have outdone yourself, girl." He examined the food in his hand, and said, "It may look like a papaya, but it takes more like a peach. Don't you think, Christine," he held the fruit out as if for her examination.

"Mmm," was all that she muttered. Juice was all over her hands, running down between her fingers. "Spike. Good."

Lt. O'Connelly laughed, "Thank you, Dr. Chapel for that sophisticated accolade."

The other woman just smiled at her, continuing to eat.

****************************************************************************X

"Sir, I don't know where it came from. I was patrolling the perimeter, scanning the area with my tricorder my entire watch. When I came back to wake you, there it was."

Christine could hear the frustration in Spike's voice. She couldn't hear what Spock said, only the low rumble of his voice in response. Rising from her blanket beside McCoy, she pushed out into the open.

"What's going on"? she asked. "Where did you get _that_?"

Spock was holding what looked like a basket full of different types of food. Beside him on the ground was a jug of some type of liquid.

"Apparently," he said, gesturing with the basket and to the ground with his eyes, "We had a visitor last night."

Christine said what they were all thinking, "Well, somebodyknows we're here."

**********************************************************************************X


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4, Under Fire

Later that evening, Spock and the security team lay in wait outside the building where Chapel and McCoy lay inside, trying to stay alert in case they were needed. It was particularly dark inside; they didn't dare use any illumination for it might alert any intruder as to their location, either inside or outside.

McCoy and Chapel lay stretched out after getting tired of sitting for hours waiting for something to happen. Leonard McCoy turned on his side, with his head on his arm and looked in Christine's direction.

"I think this may be what we used to call a 'snipe hunt,' he whispered.

"A what?" Christine wasn't sure she had heard him correctly.

"A snipe hunt." McCoy took a deep breath as though explaining to a dense child. "Darlin', when someone got too big for their britches, especially somebody not from around home or off-planet, we would challenge them to catch one of the rare and obscure little creatures. Whoever it was nearly always accepted the challenge. So we'd send them out into the woods with a bag and a stick to shoo it in with once they found it. Of course, they would hunt all night, but snipe are elusive little creatures. Very hard to snare."

"Oh, Leonard, that's cruel. Wasn't that illegal, even when you were a boy?" Her tone held all the strength of the righteously indignant.

He laughed and she quickly shushed him.

"Stop it. That's not funny."

"Christine," he finally caught his breath. "There ain't no such creature as a snipe." He suddenly drew up short. "And what the hell do you mean, even when I was a boy?"

_X

Spock and the security guards were placed strategically around the building; the Vulcan thought it was logical to assume whoever had placed the food for them wasn't a threat to them, however, if another who _was_ a threat followed….it was reasonable to be prepared.

He quietly contacted Lt. O'Connelly, "Lieutenant, have you detected anything suspicious?"

And just as he had expected, a quiet, "No, Sir," came back to him. The team waited in the darkness all night with no sign of anyone or anything.

*****************************************************************************X

Christine walked out of the barn before sunrise and nearly tripped over another crude basket of foodstuffs. Dropping to her knees, she looked around quickly, spotting nothing out of the ordinary, but she did see Commander Spock coming toward her with what had to be an expression of disbelief on his face.

"Where did you find this, Doctor?"

"Right where you're looking, Commander. I haven't touched a thing."

Spock wasn't quite as inscrutable as he normally could be. "If it wasn't sitting here, I would say it was impossible, however, since the basket is obviously here…."

Christine picked up, "Someone was here, and somehow got past you and the security team."

Spock's face abruptly changed. "Come with me." He opened the door of the barn, holding it for her to follow. "We were focused outside, therefore, there is a distinct possibility that whoever is 'supplying' us is coming from inside here." Spock waved around his tricorder, and said, "They are not here now."

It was growing lighter, but still not light enough to see well. McCoy's gentle snoring went on around them.

Spock began to walk around the periphery of the structure and instructed her to do the same in the opposite direction.

"What exactly are we looking for—just something out of place?"

Spock spoke without looking up from his instrument, "I am not certain, Doctor, but I think we will know the second we find it."

Christine held her right hand against the rough wood of the barn and felt with her feet and the other hand in front of her. In short order, she had met with Spock. He instructed her to go back in a reverse manner out some distance from where she had searched before, in a type of circular grid pattern.

Without warning, there was a crunch and cracking of breaking wood. Racing back to where she last saw Spock, Christine fell to her hands and knees and crawled through the dirt. She found Commander Spock holding onto the sides of the cracked and broken wood frame trying to clamber back out of a hole about three feet wide. But the wooden edging was yielding to the Vulcan's weight, and there was no way he was getting out before the scaffolding collapsed.

"Here," Christine cried out, "take my hands; let me help you."

"I will make it, Miss Chapel, please step back," he practically grunted the words.

Before he could utter another word, the wood broke apart in his hands and he was falling into the darkness below.

"Spock!" Christine cried out and grabbed for his arms. She succeeded in grabbing his left, but the momentum had started. She lost her footing and tried desperately to hold herself back by locking her feet on anything she could find. It wasn't enough.

Spock went down into the darkness with Christine clinging to his hand, right behind him.

Dr. McCoy awoke abruptly, listening for sounds. "Musta a been a damn dream." He covered up his head and went back to sleep in the near darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

_Under Fire_: Chapter 5

Spock awoke in total darkness. In a nanosecond, he remembered what had happened and remained still, in case they were not alone; he surreptitiously looked around, trying to gather information about where they were. He heard, and subsequently felt Christine Chapel behind him. It appeared that the two officers were restrained together with a large support beam of some type in-between them. He determined that their hands were tied together around it and to each other, and then for good measure, they were tied together in one large rope, encircling them and the post. He could feel the warmth of Christine's hands in his own, which was way better than the cold dampness of the ground. Apparently they were still underground for there was a definite damp chill in the air.

The Vulcan heard Christine stir behind him. "Dr. Chapel," he whispered. No response.

Spock didn't think they had been injured enough to have been unconscious for this length of time, however long this was; it was impossible to tell. Abruptly, he became aware of soft footsteps coming toward him. He allowed his head to fall forward as if he was still asleep.

The footfalls approached. They sounded almost too soft to be made by a humanoid. Spock heard them grow closer. He felt a small hand touch his cheek, then his forehead. Their captor now checked the bonds holding him and Christine together. Then, the being moved over to the doctor. He heard a mumble coming from her; she was awakening. The being seemed to step away and Spock raised his head and peered into an almost blinding light after being in the darkness for so long. Once his vision adapted, he realized it was only a small hand-held light—being held by a child!

The child did not speak or make any move toward them, if anything, she looked like she might run away any second.

"I am Spock. May I ask your name?"

The girl stared at him for minute before she finally replied, almost in a whisper, "Kurta."

"Kurta," he said, "I assure you that we mean you no harm. We fell through a hold in a structure by accident. My companion may be hurt. May I look at her to determine her injuries? I give you my word that I will not try to run away or harm you in anyway." Spock's calm and peaceful demeanor must have struck a chord, for she nodded.

"Would you please unbind me, so that I may examine her?"

The girl, Kurta, approached as one would a wild animal caught in a cage. She pulled from her small waist a fairly hefty knife for one her size. She eased forward and first cut the ropes binding them together, then stepped back, not cutting his hands totally free from behind him. She had almost no expression on her face, but she still held the knife in his direction.

Spock spoke quietly, "I am going to stand up and move around to check on my friend. I will not make any hasty movements. Is this agreeable?"

Kurta once again nodded.

Spock stood, feeling all the knots in his back and legs start to unwind just a fraction. Keeping his eyes on Kurta, he walked away from her around the post and knelt down beside Christine. Her eyelids were moving and she was gently shaking her head as if to wake up.

Kurta watched him curiously, still not offering to move the knife.

Spock checked her pulse: steady, regular. Her skin color was good, respirations regular. She had no outward signs of injury. He placed his hand on her jawbone gently, "Dr. Chapel, can you hear me?"

"Spock?" Her eyes opened. Pupils were reactive and responsive he noted.

"Yes, are you injured?"

She was fully awake now. "I don't think so, but what—" Christine then noticed the child with the knife. "Okay. We are guests, looks like." She looked back to Spock; his eyes looked positively obsidian in the near dark.

"This is Kurta. She has unbound me so I could ascertain your condition, but no more. I do not know how long we have been unconscious, but, fortunately, neither of us seems permanently injured. I did notice my phaser and tricorder are both missing, as are your instruments."

Christine turned to Kurta, thanking God that her translator was attached to her wrist. "I'm terribly thirsty. Could we have some water? Please." She gave the child the most charming smile she could manage under the circumstances.

Kurta, all the while pointing the knife at them, walked backwards to a small bucket with a ladle hanging from it. She set it down close to them, then she backed away.

"Thank you, Kurta. But I can't drink with my hands bound and neither can my friend. Would you please untie one of us?

The girl appeared to ponder this request. Finally, she gestured at Spock to back up. He did so. Whilst keeping an eye on him, she leaned forward and down, cutting the bonds which held Christine's hands.

"Thank you." Christine rubbed her wrists to get the blood flowing back into her hands. "Water?" She gestured towards the bucket, and the girl moved back again. The doctor sniffed at the water which she scooped up into the ladle and took a small first taste. "Seems fine to me, Spock. Here goes nothing," she said, drinking deeply.

Christine re-dipped the ladle and handed it to Spock. He took it slowly from her hands. This child reminded him of a feral animal which might bolt at the first sign of threat.

Retaking the ladle from him, Christine returned it to the bucket and this time offered it back into the girl's hands. Kurta took it and, for the first time, didn't directly position the weapon towards them.

Spock sat down beside Christine. He had noticed that they were in what appeared to be a dugout of approximately 12 X 12; the dimness made it difficult to ascertain its exact size. There were three tunnels leading away from the room in which they were, and he couldn't see any light down any of them.

Meanwhile, Christine was working on the child, trying to get answers from her.

"Kurta, did you bring us here?"

There was no response. Her large dark eyes stayed locked on Christine.

"Are we in trouble?"

This caused the corner of the girl's mouth to pull down minutely.

"Would you tell us what we did? Or show us the way out?"

This time there was a narrowing of the eyes and Kurta backed up a little.

"So that's a negative, huh."

Christine didn't give up, however, and she asked, "Did you bring us food when we were in the barn? Did you help us?"

The little girl's eyes grew larger.

"Okay." Christine smiled warmly at the child. "Thank you. It was very good, and we were very hungry."

This remark seemed to please Kurta. She shifted toward Christine, keeping a watchful eye on Spock. "Perhaps if you moved back a little, Spock. For some reason she doesn't seem to trust you yet."

"A sound idea, Doctor. Keep trying to win her confidence," Spock said.

Kurta progressed to within an arm's length of the woman, suddenly she reached out and touched Christine's hair. Patting it down as one would a pet. Christine didn't move. The child grew bolder, she touched her face gently and felt her clothes. She noticed the medal that the doctor wore around her neck and fingered it tenderly.

"Do you like that?" Christine raised her arms to give the girl the necklace, and Kurta sprang back in an instant, frightened. "It's okay," she said soothingly. She unclasped the chain, from under her hair, and offered it to her.

"Here, do you want to hold it or wear it?"

Kurta timidly took the chain with its medal and handed it back to Christine. She lifted her hair, as if wanting the woman to put it on her. The doctor carefully put the jewelry around the girl's neck and fastened it.

Kurta gave a brief smile to Christine, patted the necklace, and taking the light, raced down one of the tunnels with the dexterity of a mouse.

"Merde! That went well," Christine exclaimed.

**********************************************************X

"Now what?" Christine asked. They had sat in stunned silence for a few minutes after the girl ran away.

"We attempt to find a way out. One of these tunnels is bound to lead outside; it is simply finding which one. After you untie my hands, of course, Doctor," Spock added.

Christine smiled in the darkness and so wanted to say, "What if I don't?" Instead, she answered, "Since I am positive Vulcans see better in the dark than Humans, why don't you come over here and I'll be glad to see what I can do. No pun intended. "

In seconds, she could feel the warmth of Spock's body close to her, since Vulcan's had naturally higher body temps, it was more comfortable being near to him.

"In order to avoid any impropriety and misplaced hands, it might be better if you try to reach for me now, Doctor." Again, she smiled in the darkness, imagining being groped by Spock. She couldn't help it; she giggled out loud. Then she laughed. She couldn't stop. Finally she put her hands over her mouth and said something to the effect of "Sorry, Spock, something just struck me as funny."

"So I noticed, Doctor Chapel, but I fail to see what is amusing about our being held captive by a seven year old humanoid girl." Yet there was a lessening of tension.

Christine reached out and felt for his hands: got his backside. Started to laugh again. This time he reached backwards for her hands and they met palm to palm in mid-air. "How do you know she was seven?" There was still a definite smile in her voice, as she asked.

"I noticed her teeth, Doctor." He sounded calm, she thought for someone who just got felt up in the dark.

She fumbled with the knot. Somebody had done a bang-up job on this one. "Her teeth? She had some missing or coming in or both? That's assuming they are as closely related to humans as we think. I don't think I've studied anything about their dental development." She could not get his hands free. "Come closer," she said, a little irked. "You're too far away for me to get a good grip. It's all damp in here. "

He did as she had requested and backed up. She could feel the heat of his hands and his palms were soft and his fingers long and tapered. A scientist's hands. The knot was starting to unravel, finally.

Spock was pretty sure that Christine didn't know that hands were such an erogenous zone for Vulcans, even though she was a doctor. For some reason, this struck him as amusing, though he would never admit it. He was seriously glad it was so dark.

****************************************************************X

"Okay, which one?" Christine asked.

"It is logical to assume the tunnel which the girl ran down would be the way out, so may I suggest that one first."

She replied, "As long as you go first. Lord, why is it always _caves?_ I hate these icky dark places filled with creepy crawly things." She shivered but he couldn't see it.

" 'Icky and creepy crawly'? Dr. Chapel, must I remind you, at my own peril, that you are a scientist."

"Whatever. Sir. But I respectfully ask to go last."


	6. Chapter 6

Under Fire: Chapter 6

Because they were too tall to run down the tunnel as the child had before them, Spock and Christine had been crawling on their hands and knees for over fifty minutes, but to Christine, it felt like an eternity.

"Stop. Please. I need a break," she was not sure she sounded as desperate as she felt.

"Doctor, you know that to stop now is illogical and serves no useful purpose."

"Spock, I am telling you that by telling me that my reaction is illogical and blah, blah, blah, is not helping my distress here. "

The Vulcan stopped his forward movement and she could tell he sat upright beside her, so she did the same. She inched closer to him to feel something reassuring in the darkness.

Spock spoke and his voice was gentler, "Christine, we have to keep going to get out of here. Stopping is just extending our time underground. " He tentatively touched her arm in the blackness, and said, "I am here, in front of you, and I will not abandon you."

"Maybe if we talked more, while we crawled, it would take my mind off our circumstances," she suggested.

"Indeed. Very well, shall we start again and I will tell you a story of when I was first assigned to _Enterprise_." And he did: a long boring story of how as a new science officer he had been assigned to find where and why there was a .0000012 instability in the atmospheric filtering system. The story, too, served no useful purpose except that his voice was steady and soothing and gave her something else to concentrate on. In fact, when Spock remarked that he thought he sensed fresh air ahead, she didn't actually break rank and run all over him to get out; she was composed and relatively unruffled.

************************

McCoy was livid-again. "Why can't we just go after them? My God, people, we know where they went—down there." He punctuated his point by bulging his eyes slightly and gesturing toward the hole where Spock and Christine had fallen.

"Doctor McCoy, whether you like it or not, our last orders from Commander Spock were to stay right here, out of sight and wait for contact and rescue. Not to provide hostages for the rebels. If we leave here, there's a good chance, that's what's going to happen," Spike spoke calmly and firmly. When finished she looked to Redstone for reinforcement.

The huge Navajo didn't let her down, "She's right, Doc, we need to sit tight. For all we know, they went willingly down there and didn't have time to contact us."

By this time, McCoy's face was a stinging shade of crimson and his eyes had popped a tad more, as he said, "Has either of you ever known Commander Spock not to follow orders and rules to the absolute letter? Well, dammit! No. He would have told someone, and Christine is missing with him. What are the odds of that?"

Spike tried to hide a sly grin, "Maybe they wanted some alone time, Doctor McCoy. I'd sure had to, you know, go where I wasn't wanted."

The doctor was ready to burst. "This is not funny, young lady, and you'll see that I am right."

"I'm sorry, Doc, I was just picking with you, but we are under orders. We stay here—for a while, at least."

McCoy sensed weakness on Spike's part. "How long?"

Spike looked at Redstone. "We'll know, Doctor McCoy; we'll know."

**********************************************************************XXXXXXXXXXXX

Spock and Christine came to the opening of the tunnel. Spock held his arm across, blocking the doctor's exit. She looked at him for a second, then immediately understood.

They waited and watched. They seemed to be under an earthen overhang and were well concealed, which could or could not work to their advantage. After a while Spock and Christine carefully and quietly as possible, with the Vulcan in the lead, left the aperture and crept around and through the foliage. It should have difficult to see in the dark, at least for Christine, but after what they had been through, it seemed easy to negotiate the obstacles in their way. Coming to a rock ledge, Spock stopped and Christine drew abreast of him.

"What is that?" she asked.

"It looks to be a quarry of some sort, but I see very few large pieces of equipment which would indicate a large scale operation. Look," he indicated above them, "a fence, charged, unless I am mistaken from the look of it, and, there, a guard tower." Christine could see an armed guard in small slightly illuminated hut.

"What types of natural resources did the brief indicate were on this planet?"

"Only fossil fuels which were apparently phased out many years ago were mentioned in the briefing and the information which I accessed. This appears to be a bit clandestine; tunnels in and out in veiled places, children afraid to communicate, fairly excessive security measures."

"I have a bad feeling about this, and I am going to hate myself for this later, but I think we should try to find some water, maybe something to eat back near the tunnel's entrance and sleep there tonight," Christine said, weighing her words.

"I concur. During the daylight hours we will be able to glean much more information, and perhaps find a way out. We don't seem to have much time before daybreak; I suggest we hurry."

_X

Dr. Chapel work to damp ground underneath her and a cool breeze gently wafting down the tunnel where she and Commander Spock had spent the night. She sat up and noticed that her commanding officer was nowhere to be seen.

Gently creeping out, she didn't see him, but the mouth of the tunnel was covered by thick brush and bushes. Hearing a soft rustling, she turned to her left quickly, and saw the Vulcan coming stealthily through the greenery.

"Good morning, Doctor," he said as calm as if they were in the officers' mess.

"If you say so, Spock. What did you see?" she queried.

"We are in a quarry, obviously, of some type, and the workers do not appear to be here of their own free will. I suspect that if we are spotted, we will stay here not of our own accord as well."

Christine closed her eyes, knowing what that meant. "We have to go back through the tunnel?"

He looked at her with a slightly sympathetic expression. "I am sorry, but I do think that presents the highest odds of our getting out of here."

"We have no lights, no food, and, sure as hell, no map. How do you figure that's our best shot?"

"Our position here is safe for the moment. Clearly, this is a clandestine entry and exit that the guards do not know about. My proposition is to wait here until dark and I will attempt to reconnoiter the camp and get lights, food, and water," he said.

Christine looked at him without saying a word for a long moment. So long, Spock wondered if she had heard him correctly. "Pardon me, for saying so, sir, but that's the riskiest think you could possibly do. If you are going to do that, why don't we just attempt to escape?"

"Because, Doctor Chapel, as your commanding officer, I don't believe it is prudent to put both of us in danger at this point. No one knows we are here and we can afford the luxury of time."

"Oh, yes, someone does know we're here—Kurta. Where do you think she got to?" Before he could answer, she continued firmly, "And you are not leaving me here tonight—even if I have to disobey orders."

"Doctor, I believe your long term association with Dr. McCoy has been detrimental to your respect for authority."

Christine smiled, and all she said was, "Probably."


	7. Chapter 7

**Under Fire: Chapter 7**

Spock and Christine spent the rest of the day sitting back in the entrance to the tunnel, just enough to be hidden, but still be slightly in the light. Christine was sure that Spock had made this concession for her, and she was grateful.

"I know I shouldn't be talking about it, but I am hungry," she said. "Even those slugs of yours would probably look pretty good about now."

Spock cocked his eyebrow and responded, "I am sure I could safely dig up a suitable amount from under the dead organic material outside to quell your hunger pains."

She gave him what her crew in Sickbay called 'the blue glare of death,' but it was apparently lost on him as he appeared to be waiting for an answer. "I was being facetious, Spock. At least for now, anyway." Christine leaned her head back against the earth behind her.

"I am sure Leonard is beside himself by now," she said.

Spock didn't answer but she could tell by his expression that he probably agreed with her.

"Do you think they've been rescued by now?"

Spock answered calmly, "No. We would also have been beamed aboard. We could not have been that far removed from the team's location and it would not be difficult to locate a Vulcan and human bio-signature this close to their beam-out location."

"Makes sense." She went quiet for a few minutes then asked, "How long have we been sitting here?"

"Approximately 67.45 minutes," he said.

"Thanks." Christine signed heavily. "Sorry. I have never been particularly good at waiting."

"Really?" Spock said—rather dryly she thought.

"Sometimes trying to get you to talk is like trying to pull teeth."

"Excuse me? Why would you want to pull my teeth to get me to talk? That would seem to have the opposite effect."

Christine twisted her mouth in a 'you know what I meant' gesture. "I feel like I'm bothering you by keeping a one-sided conversation going."

"I have responded."

"Exactly! And that's all," she said, a tinge exasperated.

Spock said patiently, "Vulcans are not adept at small talk."

Christine raised her eyebrows and replied, "Really?"

They didn't speak for a while, watching the sun sink lower. A knot began to form in Christine's stomach knowing it wouldn't be long now. "It is good that I go with you. If you find a way out, it will be double the risk coming back for me."

Spock did not waste words. "No."

"Why not? It's logical isn't? We should stay together; isn't that the rule of a landing party this small."

"I understand your desire to accompany me; however, one of us must make sure Starfleet knows of this apparent slave mining operation. If I do not return from reconnoitering the quarry, I want you to go back through the cave and try to find an exit." He saw the look on her face, and went on, "Christine, there has to be a way out through there, and it is your only viable option and your duty."

She had no answer for that.

_X

Finally darkness came.

Spock turned to Christine, but before he could say anything, she said, "I know."

He nodded at her, looking into her eyes which scrunched at the corners when she was upset or worried. "Just—please be safe," she said. "I really don't want to go back through that damn tunnel without you." She gave him a wry smile.

"I understand, and I will try not to get killed or caught with that in mind."

The Vulcan looked at her for a long moment as if he wanted to say something else, but instead, he turned leaving Christine at their observation point, Spock began to descend into the quarry. It wasn't long before he was lost to the doctor's sight.

Spock eased down as carefully as possible so as not to dislodge any stones which might give away his presence. Thanks to his superior Vulcan eyesight in the darkness, he was able to reach the bottom uninjured and without alerting any of the guards.

His first stop, he had already decided, would be the three storage buildings that he had spied from his higher vantage point. They were closest to the hill he had come down and were more likely to have useable supplies. Spock was not surprised to find the first shed unlocked. If this door was unlocked, the probability was high that the workers were locked into their bunkhouses. The light that sporadically scanned the quarry abruptly blazed on, and Spock stepped quickly into the building, pulling the door closed behind him.

Spock stood still adjusting to the interior's layout. He wasted no time in searching the shed. Finding a canvas type bag that was filled with cans containing some type of food, he dumped them out and instead filled it with bottles of water and then replaced some of the canned food. He also grabbed a rather large knife, not as long as a machete, but thicker. Using the knife, he cut a piece off one of the canvas bags and made himself a belt upon which to hang his weapon. Satisfied that there was nothing further of use that he had missed, he placed everything back as exactly as possible into its original location.

Opening the door a sliver, he waited for the large searchlight to pass over the camp once again. He had been observing its timing while getting his supplies. Right on time, the violent glare began its rotation through the camp. It was then that Spock noticed that some of the stones and particles on the ground seemed to possess a type of luminescence. Something that wasn't visible from his earlier viewpoint.

When the searchlight passed and shut off, Spock opened the door and went into the second building. There was nothing useful there except equipment parts. Moving on quickly to the third shed, and the one closest to the bunkhouse, he found this door locked. Interesting. It took him 3.45 minutes to break the lock and enter. As, Dr. McCoy would say, "Jackpot." The building was filled with explosive supplies used in the quarry.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Christine was beside herself. Spock had been gone 4 ½ hours and soon it would be light. Had he been caught? Suddenly she heard a heavy breath behind her. Whirling around, she found Spock, panting from the load he was struggling to carry. He fell down against the rock she had been leaning against and tried to regain his breath.

"Thank God, I was beginning to worry." She couldn't help but smile with relief-and at his condition. He was covered with black dust—his uniform, hands, even parts of his face. "You look like an ancient holo of a coal miner."

"I do not believe you are far off," he managed to get out. He pulled his bag toward her. "Water."

Christine opened the sack and found two water bottles. She set one aside, opened one and held it to Spock's mouth while he drank. Finally he seemed sated.

"What did you find?" she asked.

"I may have found the reason that some of their children are dying," Spock said.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


	8. Chapter 8

Under Fire: Chapter 8

"What do you mean you think you know what's killing the children?" Christine asked him. She scooted over on the dirt to get closer to him.

Spock finished drinking and placed the bottle on the ground. "There are photo-luminescent stones down there. That could be indicative of high ionizing radiation in whatever it is that they are mining for. There is also a high probability in primitive mining operations like this one that the workers' DNA is damaged which, of course, would be passed on to their offspring or could be carried home on the clothes of the guards and contaminate the children. Since we have no idea how easily this radiation can be detected or how many mines there are on this planet, we have no idea how many people are affected."

Christine looked at him, anger blazing in her tone, "Do you think that the rebels knew or suspected what was killing their children and didn't want Starfleet and the rest of the planet to find out?"

"Impossible to know. Remember the guards wear no protective gear either. Tritium is the element that does come to mind. It is hard to detect and there would have to be a great deal of exposure in order to exhibit signs of sickness," he said.

Christine answered, "But not for children. Their systems are more delicate and undeveloped and would be much more susceptible to radiation poisoning. And if it is tritium, it's illegal, isn't it?"

"Not illegal, per se. With the proper protective gear, it can be quite safe. Exposing workers by keeping them in the mine itself without protection violates Starfleet health and safety codes."

"So that's probably why they attacked the capital just as we arrived. Our more advanced equipment would have been able to pinpoint radiation sickness immediately," she said. Anger filled her voice again, "And those bastards said it was for 'religious' reasons. It was for the oldest damn reason in the book—greed! All those children and babies-"Christine voice broke and she grabbed Spock's water bottle and threw it in a rage toward the mouth of the cave. She heard it give a satisfying smack on the rocks, and then she dropped her head down on her knees and tried to slow her breathing and to calm her fury.

Spock sat there placidly, waiting for her anger to subside.

Christine reached back into the bag and took another water, opened it and drank it down quickly. She finished and turned to look at Spock. "Okay, what are your orders?"

"I suggest that we go back through the tunnel and alert the rest of the landing party," Spock said.

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

"I realize that is not your favorite option but at least it will be safer than trying to escape by finding an exit through the fence."

Christine sighed. Why? Why? Did she always end up underground?

They began to collect their gear when blinding bright light came from at least two directions.

One of the larger guards they had seen in the quarry stepped forward. "Aliens from the Federation." It was not a question.

Neither of them spoke. There were at least a half dozen weapons of some sort pointed at them.

"Take them down to the Jefen. He can decide their fate," the large guard ordered.

No one saw the little eyes that watched from the brush and scrub above the plateau.


End file.
